Even Belgium's interim government is in doubt

The French-speaking Christian Democrats formally declined caretaker Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt's invitation to join an interim government. That led the French-speaking Socialists to say they could not join either, denying the emergency government a legislative majority.

"We are slowly turning into a problem country. Our international reputation is suffering from this," party leader Bart Somers said. "You hear people complain about the loss of purchasing power. You need a government to fix that."

Verhofstadt has said he plans to leave politics once a new government is formed. Finally we have a politician doing what the people want! STORY

Leterme throws in the towel

Yves Leterme, the Flemish Christian democrat who has been attempting to form a new federal Government, has asked King Albert to relieve him of his task.

Mr Leterme met with King Albert at the Palace on Saturday afternoon. The king agreed to Leterme's request.

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It's not funny anymore

The jokes over, Belgium's failure to form a government begins to turn sour.

The ugly truth has been exposed: that the Flemish majority (who make up 60% of the population) are bent on re-ordering Belgium so that they have less to do with their French-speaking compatriots, whether they like it or not.

Belgium's feuding French- and Dutch-speaking politicians, often compared to partners in a grumpy (yet oddly long-lasting) marriage, have broken the taboo of direct confrontation. That need not spell the end of the union, but it is hardly a good omen for the future.

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Belgium in Crisis...King's on Holiday

Talks to form a Belgian coalition government collapsed Thursday with King Albert II ending Flemish Christian Democrat leader Yves Leterme's fruitless attempt to reach a deal with francophone partners, the palace announced.

The King actually delayed the process a few hours as he had to be called back from the south of France where he was kicked back at the pool sipping cocktails.

The king returned to his palace in the evening to be greeted by a group of demonstrators waving Flemish flags and calling for independence for Flanders, the Dutch-speaking northern part of Belgium.

The result of all this: Yves Leterme had to wait several hours until the King finally decided the time was right to come back from the South of France and meet Leterme. Not only did the King show everybody that he has absolutely no interest in what's supposed to be his full-time job, he even managed to block the process of forming a new federal government in Belgium for several hours. Thank god that we have a Monarchy to save this country!

And to think I may have wasted all these hours brushing up on the Belgian National Anthem.

Although it's impossible to make sense of Belgium, this is the best I've seen

At first I was having a laugh about everything that happened at the so- called government formation talks since the last elections. But I’m not laughing anymore, as day after day, it becomes crystal clear that Flanders and Wallonia are digging their political trenches instead of trying to find common ground. A recap…

You Can't Make This Stuff Up!

Belgian candidate for prime minister sings wrong national anthem

Real life is constantly much funnier than fiction in Belgium.

The man aiming to lead Belgium sang the French national anthem instead of his own when questioned by reporters on the country's national day, reports said Sunday.
Yves Leterme, the head of the Flemish Christian Democrat party trying to form a coalition government, broke into the French anthem 'La Marseillaise' when television reporters asked him to sing Belgium's 'La Brabanconne' on Saturday.

Leterme was also filmed shortly afterward making a mobile phone call during a religious service to mark Belgium's 1830 independence from the Netherlands. READ ON

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